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Bug fans infest Dade City
By MICHELLE JONES © St. Petersburg Times, published November 13, 2000 DADE CITY -- Anne Eckles brought her husband, William, and their 1970 VW convertible to the Bug Jam on Sunday. "She does all the talking for me," said William Eckles, who sat under an umbrella wearing a CoolDad State of Happiness baseball cap. Their shiny, Mars red and ivory VW was restored by her husband, Anne said. "It took him three years," she added. They drove to Dade City from Plant City for the Bug Jam because, Anne said, they always meet such nice people at the VW car shows. "We have breakfast on the way," she said. "And supper on the way home. VW people are nice people, no bad language, and it is a nice way to spend a day out." This was the 13th annual gathering of VWs, one of the largest Volkswagen-only shows in the eastern United States. It was held at the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City. "We have people here from England, Scotland and Germany," said founder Jeannie Brumley, as she gazed over the huge crowd. "I heard that there is someone here from Ireland who planned their vacation around this weekend." The jam is held the second Sunday in November -- rain or shine. Sunday was a beautiful day for an outing, warm with a gentle breeze. Ben and Bonnie McLin rode over from Orlando on their Gold Wing Motortrike to look for a Karmann Ghia convertible to buy. "We just came back from Virginia," said Ben McLin, 73, talking about their adventure on their three-wheeled vehicle. "You can just sit on this; you don't have to stand. I'm too old to stand when we come to a stop." Trophies were awarded in a variety of classes. And while there were VWs for sale at the Bug Jam, most were just for show. This year Brumley said there were more than 400 VWs registered. "There is no gate count yet, but it looks like there are more than the 7,000 visitors we had last year," she said. People wearing all sorts of apparel milled around the several acres of grounds, some carrying VW parts, others toting bags filled with toys or memorabilia. Others just perused the tables of T-shirts, bumper stickers, hats and new and used auto parts. Some took a chance on shuffleboard with CV joints or others tried to guess when the engine would blow after running without oil for a period of time. Jason Holland came from Winter Haven looking for a 1957 split window to purchase. "I saw a 1952 original but the guy wanted $13,000 for it," he said. "That was more than four times its original cost." Lindy Herrell, from Carrollton, Ga., brought his 1956 silver blue restored VW. Within the trunk was a plaque for his wife and friends for their hard work in making his dream come true. For the children there was face painting, a moonwalk, balloon art and a Hula Hoop contest. Shane Yarbrough, 9, from Port Richey, was practicing for the Hula Hoop contest. His style was to bump and grind, but to no avail. After a few spins, the hoop would fall to the ground. Those with slow and easy movements seemed to fare better. Haley Hanson, 7, beat another little girl after several minutes of competition while others' hoops fell to the ground. In a second heat, there were 15 participants with all the boys being eliminated quickly. Sarah Poole, 10, of Valrico, managed to keep two hoops revolving around her hips to win. "We go to a lot of Bug Jams," she said of the contest that is reminiscent of the 1950s, when VWs were introduced and became popular. "I also practice at home a lot." Not everyone was delighted with the Bug Jam. Mickey Huguet from St. Petersburg was a little disappointed. "I liked all the cars, but I thought there would be more accessories," she said. Proceeds from the $3 adult admission, and contest proceeds, benefited several charities. Canned goods that were collected are going to the Pasco Food Bank. An auction with VW merchandise, sports memorabilia and sports team accessories benefited All Children's Hospital. - Michelle Jones covers central Pasco community news. She can be reached at (813) 226-3459. Her e-mail address is jones@sptimes.com.
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